


The Creature and the Goddess

by msmadame



Category: The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Other, the golem and the jinni
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 04:10:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3714484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmadame/pseuds/msmadame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years after their first meeting, the Golem and the jinni venture forth to other parts of the world to learn more about humanity, facing difficult challenges and tests, such as the- rather annoying- question of marriage and children.<br/>Their first destination is Greece, where their old friend Sophia Winston awaits them with an alarming surprise. And back in New York, Arbeely's comfortable and quiet life is disrupted by a weird and mysterious client.</p><p>---(a sort- of sequel to the novel by Helene Wecker)---</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Creature and the Goddess

It took him five years- five _years_ \- to convince her to leave the city.

 Of course they did not mind staying in the city at all, they spent almost every night strolling through the sleeping streets, marvelling at the beauty of the water under the moonlight, and revisiting the great stone arch. Sometimes, when the bakery was not so busy, and the orders were low in the shop, they would try to explore together during the day. The Golem preferred going around in sunlight, the jinni noticed, especially in the spring. She would smile more, and gaze in awe at the blossomed flowers, the chirping birds, and the new greens and browns of the trees that came to life after a long, dark winter. As the soil of the grounds became softer and moist from the melting of the snow, she would resonate a cheerful energy with light humor and warmth, much similar to the strange energy she had the first time she ran in the park. The change in the air had close to no impact on the jinni, although he appreciated the warmer temperature and the happiness it gave to the Golem. He instantly thought of bringing the Golem to a place where it was warm and springlike all year long, but he remembered her job at the bakery, and his new independent forgery, and how they took up their spare time in the day.  
Unless....

 One night, after the Golem arrived at the streetlight, the pair began to make their way to the park once again. This time, however, the Golem was not smiling. The jinni did not know why; did something happen at the bakery? Did someone give her bad news? Did she even want to walk with him?  
 “Chava,” he began, though she did not turn to look at him, “how was your day?”  
 She stopped walking, turned to look at him, and finally grinned. Now the jinni was more confused.  
 “My day was wonderful,” she answered. “I apologize for making you worry. I was just thinking about what you’ve been desiring for the past few days.”  
 She laughed lightly when his eyes widened and his hand covered his face in chagrin. Too common was it for him to forget that she could feel his desires. He uncovered his eyes, staring at her face.  
 “I should be warning you to stay out of my mind,” he said. She nodded, and they began walking again. A soft breeze blew at the trees, carrying the scent of the night air.  
 “I cannot enter your mind,” she explained, “your mind enters me. You know this.”  
 “Apparently not well enough to remember,” he said. He kicked a rock a few feet ahead in their path.  
 “You know we have work here,” she said, staring at him.  
 He didn’t look back; instead he kept kicking rocks. “I know,” he replied.  
 “You have your shop,” she continued, “which you run yourself.”  
 “Yes.”  
 “And I have the bakery.”  
 “Yes.”  
 “...”  
 “...”  
 “...Ahmad?”  
 He stopped kicking rocks and turned to look at her. Her dark eyes were focused on him, like those of a parent scolding a child. He suddenly felt guilty, and lowered his shoulders in surrender.  
 “I just thought it would be something you and I would both enjoy,” he explained, “which is very rare, giving our natures.”  
 “How?”  
 “Well, although you’re not one to like vacations,” he started, “you like the spring, and passing time with me.” He watched her divert her eyes to the side and blush slightly. He grinned. “And I, for one who loves vacations, enjoy passing time with you tremendously.” He smiled, for it was true.  
 But it was far from enough to convince her. “But we’ll be in a new place where neither of us have gone before- you don’t want to return to your homeland, you want to go somewhere completely different. What if we get lost, and can never return home? What about our friends, your shop?”  
 By then they reached a bench that overlooked the water, which glowed a dull ombre from the dim moonlight. That night there were few but heavy clouds passing in the sky, covering the moon in packs of grey. The Golem and the jinni sat in the bench as they continued their argument.  
 “We’re not going to simply hop onto a boat and walk around foreign lands without preparation,” the jinni replied. “And, yes, I want to go somewhere new. But don’t you want to know more about what is out of this city? This park? This country? I have missed thousands of years being trapped in a copper flask, during which humans have advanced their ways so much that I can barely begin to comprehend them.”  
 “Then why try to?”  
 He huffed. “Says the one who tries to satisfy their desires. I know that they are dangerous, their minds are dangerous. It was because of them I was trapped in that cage. But here we are now, living amongst them.”  
 “But what’s your point? We are doing fine here! We have learned enough of their ways to survive in this city, to start your own business, to make friends. Why leave when we are living comfortably here?”  
 “Are we living comfortably?”  
 “Are you not?”  
 He looked down, not answering. He noticed he was gripping the side of the bench tightly, bending the metal with the heat from his hands.  
 “Ahmad?” the Golem called, almost whispering.  
 He let go of the bench, not bothering to fixed the bent metal. “I’m sorry. It was just an idea.” He still kept his gaze down at the wet dirt beneath his shoes.  
 She exhaled. “I know you want to make us both happy, and I am grateful. But I don’t feel like I’m ready to leave just yet.”  
 He lifted his head when he felt something cool cover his left hand. It was hers. He turned to face her, and found her eyes gazing at his with care.  
 “I don’t want you to stay because of me. If you want, you can explore the world without me-”  
 “But that’s not what I want!” he sat up straight and looked into her eyes with focus. “I mean, it its, but what’s the point of one of us going to new places when the other is stuck at home alone? You see it yourself: my strongest desire is to bring you to see things that will make you happy.”  
 The Golem didn’t answer, only stared at the jinni with surprise and...something warm stirred in her eyes. He could see that she understood, simply by the way she smiled and met his eyes with a long, fixed stare. Together they sat in silence for moments, minutes, hours. It wasn’t until the Golem smiled and took his hands in hers that they stood up to continue their walk.  
 The night sky had cleared of the clouds, and a faint pink had begun to rise. Birds have begun to chirp melodiously in the treetops, and the jinni watched the Golem as she found flowers blooming to greet the morning sun. A purple flower with pointed edges and yellow tendrils in the center had caught her interest the most, for it had opened its petals completely. He wondered what it was called.  
 She returned to him, resuming their walk. They had begun to walk out of the park, but the jinni still had an important issue to discuss.  
 “So...do you want to travel with me?”  
 “Yes,” she answered, “I do, but I- we will need time to prepare.”  
 “How long?”  
 “About….one year”  
 “One year???” The jinni stepped back in shock.  
 “I don’t want to rush.” The Golem crossed her arms as the jinni regained his pace. He sighed, ran his fingers through his dark hair. He took a breath, and relaxed.  
 “Fine,” he said, “that will give us time to find a destination, find a time to go, and find people we know who will be there…”  
 The two continued onto the path home. The morning sky was now alive with red and orange streaks, and the sun began to appear among the tops of the trees. A bird sang as it flew its way to its nest, and the day began.


End file.
